The Florist and the Nurse
by imaginarya
Summary: Take one grumpy florist, and add a sweet and cheerful nurse. You get one cross game romance! EllixCam
1. Chapter 1

Times had been hard on Elli. Her grandmother, Ellen, had started to get sick recently, and though Doctor Trent was very helpful and kind, there was only so much that could be done. Currently, Ellen was occupying the one bed the clinic had. Despite living so close by, Trent wanted to be completely aware of every turn in Ellen's health.

Elli peaked into the sanctioned off room and saw Ellen asleep, her knitting still on her lap. She smiled softly, but sadly, and gently moved her needles and yarn to the end table. It was difficult to see the woman who practically raised her in such a way, but knew that lives weren't infinite.

Elli shook her head, determined not to feel down about the situation. She had to still have hope. She went back to her desk and started to brainstorm on ways she could help improve the depressed atmosphere of late. She leaned onto her elbow, and it slid on a piece of paper. Curious, Elli examined the sheet. It was an advertisement for a flower delivery service out of Bluebell, a town a ferry ride away.

Ellen had always had a soft spot for daffodils, and if Elli could recall correctly, those bright yellow flowers were in season. A bright bouquet would make a cheery addition to the entirely white clinic, and might improve Ellen's mood- and health.

After checking to see that her grandmother was still sleeping, Elli dialed the number on the flyer for Cam's Flowers. Ever nervous about using the phone, Elli meekly waited as it rang... and rang... and continued to ring. She was wondering if she had dialed the right number when it suddenly picked up. There was a moment of shuffling before a curt voice snapped at her.

"What is it?" the rude man over the phone brusquely asked, and Elli froze for a second, suddenly becoming mouse-like with nerves.

"O-oh... Isn't this Cam's Flowers...? I was wanting to place an order, if that was okay..." she asked, internally chastising herself for letting herself be so nervous when she's the customer.

"... hold on a moment," Cam replied, and Elli heard him set down the phone. She played with her short hair, a habit from when it was much longer. He picked back up the phone, and she heard an exasperated sigh.

"What do you want?" he snapped again, and Elli was getting fed up with his rudeness. She huffed, her nervousness replaced by irritation.

"What I WANT is for you to be a bit more polite to your customers! I DID want an order of daffodils... but maybe I should find a florist who wants my business!" Elli snapped right back at Cam. A stunned silence filled the phone.

"... So daffodils. Alright. Where am I delivering? And to whom?" Cam asked, ignoring Elli's comments about his rudeness. Elli huffed, very peeved but unsure if there were any other florists willing to deliver as far out as Mineral Town.

"The flowers are for Ellen in Mineral Town. From Elli and Stu," she said, trying to mimic his curtness. There was a moment of silence, and she assumed he was writing it down.

"Okay. I'll be there tomorrow," Cam said, and ended the conversation by hanging up. Elli stared at the phone, exasperated and not looking forward to meeting the rude florist in person, but happy at the thought of cheering up her grandmother with flowers.

With her surprise planned, Elli was able to whistle while she worked. Her cheer wasn't unnoticed. Trent had noticed that his normally cheerful nurse had grown depressed since Ellen had to be admitted for full-time care, but was glad to see her smile had returned.

"Not that I don't appreciate it, but why the change in mood?" he asked when going over medical journals at the end of the day. Elli smiled at him, raising a finger to her lips in a sign of secrecy.

"I can't tell you, you'll spoil the surprise. Something good is going to happen tomorrow. That's all I can tell you," she explained, and no matter how he tried, Trent couldn't get her to spill any more about it.

That night, Elli went to sleep with a smile on her face for the first time in weeks.


	2. Chapter 2

Cam arrived at Mineral Town in a grouchy mood. The phone call the day before had woken him up, and in his grumpy morning ways he had been very rude and even hung up before he could find which building he needed to go to. He still felt regret over the mean way he had handled himself over the phone, but it seemed the person who had ordered the flowers could snap right back, he recalled.

He found himself sitting on a bench between a clinic and a small market, not sure where to go. He hadn't seen many people out and about on his way there, and wasn't used to Mineral Town at all. In fact, it was his first trip there. The bright yellow daffodils he was delivering sat beside him in a soft blue vase, creating a sharp contrast to the grumpy Cam.

He hadn't expected the customer he was seeking to walk out of the clinic and almost right by him. Elli was going home to make some lunch for Ellen and herself when yellow caught her eye.

"Oh, you must be Cam," she said, approaching the purple-clad florist. He looked up at her, frowning. He'd never seen a nurse's outfit look so old fashioned! Weren't they supposed to wear scrubs? She looked at him with scrutiny. He could be handsome if he wasn't such a grouch, she thought to herself.

"Elli, then? Here are your flowers," Cam said, standing and handing Elli the vase. She took the flowers and awkwardly shuffled her feet.

"Here, come to my house right quick. I need to get my money to pay you, and to write out the card," she asked, and led him a few buildings over to her small home. Cam quietly followed after giving her a small nod. The house was indeed small, he realized when they got inside. Elli sat the flowers on the counter and went to a dresser to get her money, leaving Cam to glance around. It seemed to be the one room, with the only other door assumed to be the bathroom. He counted three beds, all single, and wondered if Elli was either younger than she looked, or had a very boring marriage.

"Here you go," Elli said, handing Cam the amount of Gold the flyer had stated. He pocketed the money and gave her a tip of the hat.

"Thank you," he said, and she smiled brightly, to which Cam raised a brow.

"You do know manners? Fantastic! I was afraid that everyone in Bluebell would be so rude," she said, sounding genuine. Cam gave Elli an almost dirty look before she laughed and patted his arm.

"I'm just kidding. I figure it was just a bad day. No one can run a business with an attitude like that. Well, maybe Saibara..." she trailed off, thinking to herself before smiling once again at Cam.

"Do you have any more deliveries here to make?" she asked, and he shook his head.

"No, this was my only delivery today," he said, embarrassed to have such low business. However, Elli didn't seem to notice or mind.

"So then, would you like to stay for lunch? It's home made, and it might cheer you up!" she said. He was starting to think she was as bright in personality as the flowers she had ordered. He smiled for the first time that day. A homemade lunch did sound very appealing, and the ferry back home wouldn't be running again for a while... After a moment of thought Cam nodded and tipped his hat before murmuring that he would be delighted to. Her cheer was easy to catch.

Soon, a hot lunch was on the table, and Cam was surprised when instead of sitting down to eat, Elli headed for the door.

"I have to take lunch to my grandmother first. Do you mind?" she asked as she hovered by the door. Cam shook his head; how could he mind? He got up and followed Elli, carrying the flowers he had delivered for her. She went down to the clinic and Cam followed her in. A tall, dark haired man walked around from a room sanctioned off by curtains and immediately smiled when he saw Elli, which became a smile of knowing when he saw the bright yellow flowers in Cam's arms.

"I take it this was the surprise?" he asked, voice hushed. Elli nodded with joy before remembering her manners.

"Oh! Doctor, this is Cam. He's a florist!" She introduced Cam to the Doctor. The two regarded each other for a moment before nodding.

"Florist? Horticulture is a fascinating field. I'm an amateur myself, but it's admirable. You should stop by the library while you're here. Mary's father writes about the local flora," Doctor Trent suggested with a grin, to which Cam just nodded again. He felt so awkward and out of place now, wondering if his initial assumption that Elli had a husband was correct, and it was this Doctor. He just shuffled his feet. It wasn't any of his business anyways.

Elli took the flowers from Cam and went into the sanctioned off room with a bag of lunch. Cam chose not to follow her this time, and could hear an old woman's happy regard for Elli's kindness. He allowed himself to feel the warmth from it. It was nice to see happy families.

"We're a little far out for delivering flowers, aren't we?" Doctor Trent asked Cam, snapping him from his reverie. He couldn't help but feel that the Doctor's tone had gotten a little bit chilled.

"I suppose so, but who else will do it? I just want people to have nice flowers," Cam replied, looking at the curtain as if he could see through it.

"I see. Enjoy your stay," the Doctor said, and walked back into what Cam assumed was his office. What an odd guy, he thought.

Elli came back around to the front shortly after the Doctor left, still smiling.

"Are you ready for lunch?" she asked, to which Cam nodded.

As they left for Elli's house, Cam couldn't shake the feeling that the Doctor didn't like him. But what did he care anyways.


	3. Chapter 3

Cam followed Elli back to her house, still wondering why the Doctor had been so cold towards him. However, the warmth of Elli's smile and happy chatter as she set the table, putting a hearty portion of a spicy tuna soup in front of Cam. He tipped his hat and told her thank you, careful to keep his blush from her vision. He could smell the heat of the spices, and it made his mouth water. Cam loved spicy foods.

Elli sat across from Cam and daintily sipped at her soup. He paused after his first spoonful, causing her to look up in concern.

"Oh, do you not like spicy food? I really should have asked that before I made it... We just had leftover spicy tuna..." Elli started to ramble, her words turning into quiet mutterings full of worry. Internally, she was beating herself up for not being more considerate, and was thinking about making Cam an entirely new dish before he stopped her train of thought with a soft smile. It was such a rare and handsome sight that Elli's heart skipped a beat, startling her from the strange reaction.

"No, I actually really like spicy food. It's really good! I just haven't had someone be so nice to me on first meeting. At least, not for a while," Cam explained. He was surprised when she still looked upset.

"What is it...?" he asked when her eyes started to water.

"You're so nice, why wouldn't someone want to be nice to you? And you complimented my food and and you shouldn't be shocked at nice people!" she all but cried, confusing Cam all the more. She was upset people weren't nice to him? That he was nice? He really couldn't comprehend her emotions. She was actually starting to cry! Unsure of what to do, he tentatively got up and patted her on the shoulder.

"Uh, there there?" he said, not sure on how to comfort people. Elli brushed away the tears and smiled up at Cam, looking pathetically adorable with her red rimmed eyes and pink cheeks.

"I'm sorry about that. I just felt a bit overwhelmed," she apologized, giving him a genuine smile. He nodded and sat back down, still wary, but went back to his delicious soup. The two ate quietly for a while, Elli still feeling nervous that she had scared off her new friend. When they finished, the silence became awkward.

"I'll see you off, if you'd like," Elli offered, trying to ease the tension. While worried that Cam thought of her negatively, she wanted to make sure he left okay. He nodded his acceptance and tipped his hat.

"I'd like that," he said, smiling softly. He was glad she was over her brief moment of being upset. Both rose from the table and cleared the dishes before Elli walked him to the harbor, where a small passenger boat was waiting to take him from the island. They stood awkwardly looking at each other before Cam tipped his hat to Elli and waved a short goodbye. She smiled and return and waved back.

"Have a safe trip!" she called as he boarded the boat, and he tipped his hat again with a shy smile.

Heading their separate ways, the two couldn't help but remember the day fondly with the new friendship that was unfolding.


	4. Chapter 4

A few days later, Cam was going over paperwork with frustration in his office when a soft knock sounded from the door. He grunted in recognition, and the door opened. A tall muscular man with a made up face entered, smiling brightly.

"I've got some mail for you, Cam!" he said happily, and Cam sighed as he held his hand out for presumably more bills, though Howard's happy disposition made him a little suspicious. He was handed a single envelope with his name and address, and quickly looked to the sender.

"Looks like you've got a letter! Ooh, I wonder if it's a love letter? I'll leave you to read it in peace," Howard teased and quickly shut the door to avoid Cam's angry glare.

"Why would Elli write to me...?" he asked himself, looking at the envelope as if it could answer him unopened. He swiftly opened it with a letter opener. He nervously unfolded the sheet of paper, and couldn't stop a small smile as he read it.

"_Hello Cam!_

_Sorry to write to you, but I didn't want to interrupt your phone during your office hours just to thank you for the wonderful flowers. My grandmother really loved them, and they lit up the hole room! Hospital rooms can be so bland, being all white. Even my little brother said they were pretty, and Stu only likes bugs! I think I might have to go to you again with Grannie Ellen's birthday comes around. What's good for celebrating that, flower wise?_

_I also wanted to make sure you got back to your town just fine. The seas around Mineral Town have been known to be a little shaky. This might be a bit forward, but I want to be your friend. You seemed really nice, just quiet. If not, no harm no foul. _

_Hope you're doing well!_

_Elli_"

Cam read the letter a few times, unsure of how to respond. She only met him once, how could she want to be his friend? He shook his head; she must be really optimistic about people. He found a blank piece of paper and penned her a short reply. He hoped he didn't sound silly, but there was no harm in trying to reach out to someone who wanted to be his friend, right? After sealing the envelope, he silently slipped out of his office and slid it into the small pile of outgoing mail, trying hard to ignore the knowing smile and giggles from Howard, and Lana shaking her head.

Before he retreated back to his office, he turned to Howard, determined to put an end to his silly ideas of love letters.

"It was just a letter from a client in Mineral Town. She wanted to thank me for the flowers," he explained, and Howard nodded, still smiling. Disgruntled, Cam just grunted and closed the door.

"Not like I'd ever actually get a love letter..." he muttered to himself, returning to his paperwork. He couldn't get back in the mindset of budgeting and figuring out bills, so with a defeated sigh he went out back to tend to his flowers.

Being among his many flowers, he felt more at ease, and more confident. No one had taken the time to send him a thank you letter before, and it made him feel even better about the plants he so lovingly raised. He turned to his daffodils and touched a petal gently.

"Someone said you were beautiful today. You made an old lady really happy," he told the plants, smiling. He took in a deep breath and sat in the garden, thinking more about the visit to Mineral Town and the first friendly letter he had gotten in a long time.


	5. Chapter 5

Elli was elated when an envelope bearing her name in tight, small handwriting appeared in the mail a few days later. She really hadn't expected him to reply, but couldn't stop the warm feeling that she felt as she opened the letter. She giggled when she realized he was just as shy in writing as he was when speaking, something she found to be a little bit cute.

"_Elli,_

_Thank you for your letter. It was a nice surprise. Glad your grandmother liked the flowers. Peach blossoms and sunflowers would make a happy bouquet. _

_And I would like to be your friend too... if that is okay._

_Cam"_

With a grin, she refolded the letter and tucked it into her apron before making a quick lunch. Stu, her young brother, made a fuss when she put spinach leaves on his sandwich, but her warning glare kept him from picking it apart. He told Elli all about what he was learning from Carter, the town priest who also took the role of school teacher to the only two small children in the small town. They'd gone around looking at the local plants and Carter told them about all the uses, making Stu excited. He'd always wanted to grow up to be like the Doctor, who'd become just as much a second father to Stu as Elli became a second mother.

An small sigh escaped Elli's lips at that train of thought, a sigh that went unnoticed by Stu, who continued to tell Elli about all he learned as well as all the bugs he'd seen. Since her parents had died when Stu was just a baby, she'd taken over raising him. It was strange to feel like a single mom when she had never even kissed someone, let alone had a child. And yet, she didn't truly mind. Though they weren't romantically involved, to her chargin, the Doctor was a kind-hearted man who did help his younger nurse with her younger brother. They almost felt like a family. The Doctor usually joined Elli's family for dinner, and while he seemed oblivious to the young woman's crush, at least he was good to her brother.

Elli snapped her attention back to Stu's stories and out of wistful and sad thinking. She chastised Stu for trying to scare her with stories of bugs and took his cleared plate to the sink to wash it, completing the chore before walking him back to the church and herself back to the clinic.

The doctor greeted her cheerfully, and called her back to his office. Confused, Elli went to the room with a raised brow.

"Elli, have you heard the great news? Someone bought the old farm south of town!" he exclaimed happily. Elli's eyes widened- she'd seen the poor shape of the farm and was stunned anyone would willingly move there.

"Really? That's great! It's always wonderful to meet new friends!" she agreed, and the two talked a moment more of what it meant for the town before Elli reluctantly went back to work, organizing the files of past patients as well as the Doctor's research documents. When the door opened, she was expecting Jeff to be in complaining of a stomach ache.

Instead, she was surprised to see a pretty young blonde woman cautiously enter the clinic.

"Hello! Can I help you?" Elli asked, and the woman brightened up and approached the counter.

"Hi! I'm new to town. My name is Claire, I just bought the farm. So now I'm introducing myself to everyone!" she explained, shaking Elli's hand.

"Oh! It's so great to meet you! I'm Elli, the nurse, and the Doctor is in his office if you want to meet him," she greeted, gesturing towards the office. Claire smiled and nodded before taking off that way.

Elli felt a pang of jealousy looking at Claire. She was very pretty, thin, and her long blonde hair looked soft and beautiful. Paired with sparkling blue eyes, Elli was worried she'd have some competition for the Doctor's affections before glumly remembering the Doctor didn't really see her as a woman anyways. Claire left the office after a moment, smiled and waved to Elli, and took off quickly.

Seeing a moment for a break, and wanting to clear her mind, Elli took out a pen and paper and wrote out a nice letter to Cam. She was glad to have a new friend to correspond with. While she was friendly with all the Mineral Town residence, it was nice to have an outsider to talk to. Not that she would dream of talking to Cam about the strange business with the Doctor- that wasn't anyone's business but her own. She thought of the florist as she wrote to him and smiled. She hoped he didn't really mind her letters, and something deep down told her he didn't.


	6. Chapter 6

If Howard noticed Cam was much more interested in his mail than before, he didn't show it. At least, not in front of Cam. His daughter, Laney, got to hear all of her father's suspicions regarding Cam and his mysterious pen-pal, all the more suspicious by Cam's stubborn refusal to talk about it. After years of dealing with the grumpy florist, Howard knew better than to goad him into spilling the beans. The cafe owner sighed dreamily to himself as he pictured a perfectly romantic love story unfolding before his eyes before a stern look from Laney brought him back to reality.

Cam took his weekly letter with him into his garden, once again giving into his habit of reading it to the flowers. He settled down in the shade of his tall batch of sunflowers, and smiled down at the white envelope in his hands. He carefully pulled it open and pried the letter out, unconsciously smiling as the soft scent of the nurse brushed against his nose.

"Cam, the peach blossom and sunflower bouquet was gorgeous! Grannie actually shed a few tears, she was so happy! We don't really get such pretty flowers out here, and she told me she hadn't gotten bouquets since before Grandpa passed... Sorry, I made myself a little sad there, but I really am happy!" Cam read aloud, fingers following along the curled, softly written words. He smiled gently at the paper as though it were the nurse herself.

"I do have really happy news, though. Doctor cleared Grannie to move back home. The flowers improved her mood and her health, and she was even able to walk back home (even if it is only a short walk, it still means a lot!). That means I'm moving back into the clinic again. It's nice to have my own room again instead of sharing with Stu. He's a wonderful little boy, but I guess I got spoiled," he continued reading, shaking his head. He didn't think Elli could ever be described as spoiled, but that was just his opinion of the sweet nurse.

He thought of the last time he went to visit her, bringing the peach blossoms and sunflowers she ordered for her Grandmother's birthday. He managed to avoid meeting her grandmother again, but Elli promised to introduce him the next time he came out- Cam almost thought it was a ruse to bring him back out again. Not that he really minded, if he was honest with himself. He was glad to have found such a nice friend in Elli, and was only sad that she lived so far away. He wanted to see if she would come visit him sometime, but he wasn't sure if he could really justify such a thing.

He shook his head as if shaking the thought away and continued with the letter.

"Anyways, I was wondering if maybe you'd like to come visit without it being to deliver flowers. That is, if you want to! We don't have a lot of pretty flowers, but we do have a lot of useful plants and a famous botanist, Basil. I think he would also like to know someone else interested in plants. Plus, I'd have time to make you a lunch from scratch! You don't have to, though. I feel kind of silly for suggesting it, actually, so don't worry about it. Sending my best, Elli," Cam finished reading her letter and let his wrist fall slack, taking the letter from his vision. She wanted him to visit, just to see him? The thought brought a blush to his cheeks and he unconsciously tipped his hat.

While he sat wondering at his friend, Laney's shadow overtook him.

"You should go," she said, startling Cam from his thoughts. He glared up at her from under his hat.

"You were listening?" he asked, hoping the red had disappeared from his cheeks. If anything, it had just gotten worse. Laney didn't say anything about it and just smiled at him.

"She seems nice," she said, changing the subject. "Will we ever meet your friend?" she asked, tilting her head. She and Cam had been friends for many years, and though she did at one time have hope of being more, it had slowly faded away to the same care a sister would have for her brother. She worried about his antisocial and grumpy behavior. The prospect of a new friend- in particular, a _girl _friend, delighted her. She only hoped it delighted Cam just as much.

Cam stayed quiet, not sure what to say. He stared at his letter in his hand, getting crumpled by his tense grip.

"...maybe," he replied. He didn't know what to say. He hadn't really talked to Elli about visiting him through letters, though he had been to see her twice and was now looking at a third. Maybe when he went to see her, he could ask her about it.

"I'll ask her," he said to the worrying Laney, who smiled at him warmly before offering her hand to help him stand. The two walked off to make some lunch. After Cam, Howard, and Laney finished eating, Cam excused himself to go for a walk. He made the short trip over to Jessica's Animals and leaned against the low wooden fence to watch his good friend Ash chase some of the sheep around the yard to give them a bit of exercise. Ash stopped as he noticed his friend and gave him a big smile and wave as he ran up to him.

"Heya Cam! How's it going?" he asked and grinned knowingly as Cam flashed a bit of the letter from his pocket.

"Ooh, another letter from Mineral Town. Are you going to go out there again?" he asked, and Cam shrugged.

"I think I will. I might see if she'll come visit here sometime..." he said, tipping his hat. Ash grinned wildly at him and clapped his shoulder.

"Great! We're all dying to meet her!" he exclaimed. In a town as small as Bluebell, with hardly ten people in population, any news got around quickly. It didn't help Cam that he lived with the biggest gossip in the world. He fought back a flush and shrugged again.

"Well, maybe you will. Anyways, I'm going to go look for flowers on the mountain. Do you want to join me?" he offered, but Ash shook his head, pointing back at the animals.

"Happy animals need exercise, and I still gotta get them running a bit more. Have fun, though," he said and the two parted ways.

Cam headed into the mountain in search of chamomile and lavender and thought of ways to ask Elli to come visit his small but loving town.


End file.
